I am not great with surprises for myself anyway, so maybe it has something to do with that. But I HATE seeing gifts under the tree knowing how excited I am to give some of them. I want to give them NOW. I can't stand it. Am I the only one?

Not sure how unique it is, and it is very expensive, but I got my husband a komado grill. It is like the big green egg thing you see advertised. I did some "homework" and got the one I think is best for us (and has a lifetime warranty.) He has been talking about this dang thing for 8 years but doesn't want to spend the $$ (or won't spend it on himself). My son suggested we get one for him. Costco has a traveling roadshow and they had them there. I got one yesterday. The guys loaded it, the neighbor said I could put it in his garage, so my neighbor wanted to show off and unload it himself! 😂 That was a bit entertaining as it is 200 pounds. Anyway, I plan to wrap up a couple of pieces of charcoal and put them under the tree and make them from Santa for being bad and then direct him to the neighbor's garage somehow for the rest of the gift. He is going to be so surprised. I hate even having to wait 11 more days to give it to him!

SIM does some great things that way. https://www.simusa.org/catalog-archive/sustainable-farming/

Ok, DH has said he feels I need to try to go and he will supervise the cleaning and make sure it gets done. I just have to let go of what I think it should look like! 😁 He thinks the nice decorative bowls on the beverage/wine area are made to store vegetables. And the toilet bowl cleaner may need to dry out in the tub.......😫 But I have to let it go right now.

I also cannot make anything tonight. I will be stopping at Costco for something else anyway, so I plan to pick up some shareable items......a dip and chips (7 layer and tortilla chips if they have it), some drinks, and a dessert of some kind. I normally make stuff, but I just can't.

I am exhausted. No way I am getting up on a Saturday to do hours of work before going on a 9+ hour excursion. I just don't have it in me right now. In fact, I really don't even have it in me to go, but I am thinking I need to make the effort anyway. I will sleep until 6 or 7, have my coffee, maybe do the dishes or clean a bathroom, and then get ready and go.

I know several homeschoolers who do Elf and talk about it at HS activities. It used to drive me crazy. I hear less about it now that we aren't HSing.

It is a tiny, rural area, there is ONE hotel in the entire area, a very low end hotel, and no shopping other than Walmart type stores. Everyone who lives there goes a hour the opposite direction from where I am driving, and goes to the city that way. It starts around 12, so I can leave at 9 without an issue.

No, I explained it a bit in my OP I think, but we are talking 60+ people, asking them to all come to my newly determined location, when the hall has been booked since July, and not paid for by me, is not an option. And the relative I would like to see will pretty much not travel more than a 15 min. drive at this point.

We used to have game nights at places like Panera. People could eat or not eat as they desired. Or we had picnic lunch.....bring your own. That worked well too.

Ha, I didn't even notice......North Pole on your mind? Hmmm.....will Santa still eat homemade cookies?

That was actually not directed at you. That was to "(no idea how to copy her name on the thread) in Texas" I think you can add a poll.

And that's fine. You don't like them, you don't have to participate. We were part of a homeschool group, a scout troop, and a Sunday School class. Between the three of them we often ended up with at least one potluck per month, sometimes more. We have done it for years. We much preferred them to the "we are catering, and it is $10 per person, regardless if you don't like the food, won't eat much, etc..." We opted not to go to those as it was expensive and we aren't huge eaters. So we just have different preferences. I have never gotten sick because of the potluck.

Oh, and if anyone cares, my Saturday event is a POTLUCK! 🤣

I don't care if you go or not, but you have spent a lot of time on this thread caring a lot about it. I am not sure if it has hit some sort of nerve or if you truly DO care about those of us who don't mind them.